I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but the most annoying thing from my years coaching high school football was constantly reminding players to put their mouthpieces in. Not only does it save your teeth (or tongue), but it helps prevent concussions, too. In an age where the NFL spares no cost to push “player safety” rules on us all so they won’t get sued down the line, I have no idea why they can’t make wearing a mouthpiece mandatory on the football field.

By the looks of it, the player safety issue popped into the mind of Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes during the Seattle Seahawks’ lone touchdown of their Sunday Night Football matchup. Take a look at the videos below.

Rewatch the game now. Stokes didn’t have his mouthpiece in here. They pinned everyone and came his way. Had to put in his mouthpiece mid-play because a lineman came for him. Touchdown. https://t.co/9Xmz2EFQbB

— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) December 16, 2024

Stokes is playing outside cornerback at the top of the screen. The Seahawks are in a cut split with their receivers so that the cornerback to that side is closer to their offensive lineman on this pin-and-pull sweep. Stokes realizes about two seconds into the play that he indeed needed his mouthpiece in to take on a block from Seattle’s right guard Sataoa Laumea, who was tasked with kicking out Stokes.